Example gave a fan backstage tickets to RiZE Festival this weekend after saying that he looked like “a beard had been drawn on a thumb” on Twitter.

The musician – real name Elliot Gleave – released his nine-track mixtape ‘Bangers & Ballads’ on Friday (August 17). Responding to the single ‘Show Me How To Love’, fan James Hart posted on Twitter: “Honestly, if you took Example’s vocals off this track it’s a tune. Otherwise it’s a vanity project.”

Not taking the criticism in his stride, Example fired back: “Honestly, if you got a biro and drew a beard on your Grandad’s thumb it’d look like poor James here.”

A follow-up post from Example asked his followers to submit drawings of James on their thumbs in return for festival passes. “If it looks like James send me a pic and you could win tickets to see me at @RiZEFestival this weekend,” he said.

Now, after admitting that he was “really mean”, Example has explained how he messaged Hart to apologise and offered to take him along to the festival. “I ended up DM’ing him, apologising and brought him backstage at Rize festival yesterday for a beer,” a post on Instagram reads. “It was his first ever festival as well.” Check out the post below.

RiZE replaced V Festival after Richard Branson announced that Virgin would no longer be sponsoring the event. Also appearing across the weekend were Stereophonics, James Bay, Bastille, Years & Years, and Miles Kane.